Wrench with toggle-actuated pivoted jaw



Feb. 24, 1948.

FA. S NELL WRENCH WITH TOGGLE-ACTUATED PIVOTED- JAW:

Filed March 23, 1945 l lnl INVENTOR.

Francis a. Jnell BY ai'lorn y Patented Feb. 24, 1948 aha? WRENCH WITH TOGGLE-ACTUATED PIVOTED C AW Francis A. Snell, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to BMC Manufacturing Corporation, Binghamton, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 23, 1945, Serial No. 584,431

13 Claims.

is to provide a wrench of this character, wherein a movable jaw is adapted to be adjusted to any position desired in respect to a stationary jaw, and while arranged to be pivotally shifted from its adjusted position to instantly free the instantly restored to clamping position, wherein its gripping surface will be parallel to that of the stationary jaw, upon closing movement of an operating handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench of this character which may be readily adjusted to fit any desired size of nut or other like object, and which, due to the pivotal movement of one of its jaws by means of a suitable toggle arrangement, may be readily released from gripping engagement with the nut or other object without the necessity for altering the adjustment means.

The invention further contemplates the provision, in a wrench of this kind, means by which the adjustment of the jaws, when once set for a nut or other object of a certain size, will remain constant, despite repeated opening and closing movements of the pivoted and adjustable jaw.

In the accompanying drawing, in which an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wrench constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the wrench in open position, with one side wall of the frame omitted, and certain parts being shown in section, to disclose construction; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, I indicates a frame member constituting the fixed handle portion and fixed jaw of the wrench. The frame includes two side plates or walls of similar shape and respectively indicated at 2' and 3, said walls being held in spaced relation at one end by a handle insert 4 maintained in place between the wall 2 and 3 by means of the rivets 5. At its Opposite end, the frame walls 2 and 3 are shaped "object engaged between the jaws, it will also be to form the stationary jaw 6. This jaw portion 6 of the wrench is reinforced by one or more inserts 1, maintained between the side walls 2 and 3 by the rivets 8. The jaw 6, thus formed,

is provided with a face plate 9, which may be roughened if desired, to afford a non-slipping grip on a nut or other object to be engaged between the jaws of the wrench.

Pivotally mounted between the walls 2 and 3 on a pin I0, is' a curved or arcuate link member II, which is provided at its end adjacent to the pivot ID, with a finger I2 engaged by one end of a coil spring l3. The opposite end of the coil spring is attached to a pin [4 provided in a recess l5 in the handle insert 4. The coil spring l3 constantly urges the curved link II toward a cross head It on an adjustment screw ll, the cross head l6 being guided in slots 2! provided in the walls 2 and 3 of the frame. A nut 24 engages the screw I1, said nut being exposed through apertures 28 in the walls 2 and 3 and is thus accessible for rotation to raise or lower the cross head in the slots 2| and thereby determine the position of the curved link H and that of the movable jaw l3 pivotally secured thereto.

Pivotally mounted on a pin 30 in the end of the curved link II is the movable jaw I9 having a gripping face 20. The jaw I9 is of substantially bell-crank shape, having one arm 3! which is that pivotally attached to the link H, and having its other arm l8 in the form of a clevis, pivotally connected by the pin 22 to one end of a link 32.

The actuating lever or handle for the wrench is shown at 23, the same being preferably of channel shape in cross section, and between its walls at one end, it carries a pivot pin 33 to which the second end of the link 32 is attached.

This pivotal connection between the link 32 and the actuating lever or handle 23 is pivotally as well as slidably movable in a pair of angularly disposed slots 34 provided in the walls 2 and 3 of the frame I, said slots thus constituting guide means for the pivot pin 33.

A link 25 has one end pivoted at 21 between the walls 2 and 30f the frame I and its other end pivoted at 25 between the sides of the actuating handle or lever 23, the latter'connection being located between the sliding pivot 33 and the free end of the actuating handle.

It will be seen that the curved link H and the link 32, when taken in conjunction with the movable jaw 19, form a linkage system, the arrangement being such that when the handle 23 is moved toward the fixed frame or stationary handle I,

the gripping face 20 of the movable jaw l9 assumes a parallel relation to the face of the portion 9 of the stationary jaw 6, and a decided clamping action is effected when the pin 26 passes the over center position, to lock the parts in close clamping relation with any object to be grasped between the jaws. It will be seen that this effect is maintained, regardless of the position of the jaws relative to each other, as determined by the positioning of the cross head l8 in the slots 2! when adjusted to any desired point by manipulation of the nut 25. It will thus be noted that the wrench m y be readily adjusted to any size nut or other object, within its range of normal operation according to the size of the parts thereof, and when once adjusted, the nut or other object to be held, may be firmly grasped and the jaws locked thereon by compressing the actuating handle 23 toward the fixed handle I. It will also be seen'that when it is desired to release the obect' sograsped, the nut 24 need. not'be adjusted. but by merely releasing the handle 23, the jaw 19 is caused to swing away-from the jaw 6 about the pivot 38, whereby the object is readily released. When releasin the object by swinging the hande 23 outwardly, or to the position shown in Fig. 2, it will be noted that the slots t l'permit descent of the pivot pin 33 to the lower ends of these slots, and this descendin movement of the pivot 33 under the swing of the h ndle 23', exerts a longitudinal pull on the link 32 causing it to impart a swinging movement to the movable jaw f 9, thus swinging said aw about the pivot 30 to bring its gripping face 28 to the angular position shown'in Fig. 2', and at once permitting the release of the object then located between the jaws. A reverse movementof the handle 23, or a swing of the same toward the fixed handle 1, causes the pivot. pin 33 to ascend in the slots 34 to the position of F'g. 1, such rising movement of the pin 33 causing links to be moved upwardly and the movable jaw thus swung about its pivot 39 to bring its; gripping face parallel to the face of the fixed jaw 6 andat the correct distance therefrom according to the position of the cross head 16. Since the actuatin handle 23 is pivotally mounted directly upon the fixed frame I, although having a slightv siding movement relatively thereto because of the mounting of the handle pivot 33 in'the slots'3 l, the relationship of the movable handle to the fixed handle I is more or less constant.

' In.my Patent No. 2,388,580 I have shownan arrangementof linkage in which a parallel disposition of the several links is had when the jaws of the wrench are paralel. I have found however,.that the desired parallelism of the jaws can be attained by linkage which is other than parallel, an example of which is the structure herein described. That is to say, in thepresent structurn it will be noted that the distance between the centers of the two pivot points 22 and 3B is less thanithe distance between the centers of the two pivots l9 and 33, and that the distance'between the centers of. the two pivots 22 and 33 is less than the distance between the centers of the two pivots Ill and 35 Certain advantages follow from an arrangement of thischaracter since it enab es a more symmetrical design to be employed; the manufacturers tolerances c n be greater, and it is also possible to provide means for compensating for wear by the shift of one or more of the pivotal points into additional holes provided for them,

links, each link being pivoted at one of its ends to the frame, the pivot for one of the links having a limited shifting movement relative to the pivot for the other link, said links having their ends remote from their pivots pivotally attached to the-movable jaw, an actuating handle pivotally connected to the shifting pivot, and a link pivoted at one end to the actuating handle and at its other end to the frame.

2. in a tool of the character described as provided for inclaim'l, wherein guide slots are provided in the frame in which the shifting pivot has a limited. s1. ding movement.

3; In atool of the character describeda frame including afixedjaw, a movable-jaw, a link pivotally secured to the frame, a second link pivotally attachedto the frame-by a shifting pivot, means in the frame for accommodating the shifting. pivot and alowing the same a lfmited shifting movement, the links being pivotally attached to the movable jaw, an actuatin handle pivotally attached tothe shifting pivot, and a link pivotally coupling the actuating handle to the fixed frame.

4-, A tool of the character described comprising, a-frame including a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, a link pivotally attached to theframe and having an end pivotally attached to the movable jaw, a second link having an end pivotally attached to them'ovable: jaw, a pivot attached to and slid-ably mounted in the frame and engaging the second end of the second link, a third link pivoted at oneend to the'frame, an actuating handle, the third link having its other end pivotaly'attached to the handle, and one end of the handle being pivotally attached to the sliding pivot.

5. A tool of the character described comprising, afixed jaw, afixed frame member and a movable actuating handle, one end of the actuating handle being pivotally attached to one end of a link, a movablejaw towhich the opposite end of the .link is pivotaly attached, a pivoted link mounted in the frameand having an end pivotally attached to the movable jaw, means in the frame for adjustably limiting the pivotal movement of the latter link, a third link having an end attached to the actuating handle and a second end attachedto the frame, and means in the frame for affording a sliding movement to the pivotal connection between the actuating. handle and the first link.

6. A tool of the character described comprising, a framehaving a portion-constituting a stationary jaw, said frame having a pair of spaced walls, a link pivotally mounted between the walls, an adjustable stop located between the walls, spring means operative tourge the link toward the stop, a movable jaw pivoted onthe link, a second link having one end pivotally secured to the movable jaw, an actuating handle pivotally secured to the second end of said link, the walls of the frame each having a slot, the connecting pivotal point of the actuating handle and the sec- 7 and link being disposed in the slots and slidable ing handle, and a third link having one end pivotally secured to the actuating handle and its other end pivotally secured to the frame.

7. A tool of the character described comprising, a frame having a pair of spaced walls and a fixed jaw portion, a movable jaw located between the walls, a link pivoted between the walls and having one end pivotally secured to the movable jaw, means for adjusting the position of said link,'the walls of the frame being slotted, an actuating handle having a pivot pin slidable in said slots, a second link having an end pivotally secured to the pivot pin and its other end pivotally secured to the movable jaw, and a third link pivoted at one end to the actuating handle and at its other end to the frame. 7

3. A tool of the character described comprising, a frame having spaced walls, a fixed jaw carried by the frame, a curved link pivotally mounted between the walls, an adjustable stop against which the link is urged, spring means for urging the link toward the stop, a movable jaw pivotally secured at one end of the link, the walls of the frame being provided with slots extending angularly in respect to the frame, an actuating handle having a pivot pin at one end located in the slots and capable of sliding movement therein for the length of the'slots, a link having one end connected to said pin and its other end pivotally attached to the movable jaw, and another link having one end pivoted between the walls of the frame and its other end pivotally secured to the actuating handle at a point below the movable pivot pin for said handle.

9. A tool of the character described comprising, a fixed frame having slots and including a stationary jaw, a movable jaw of substantially bell-crank shape having a part disposed within the frame, a pivoted link mounted in the frame and pivotally attached to the movable jaw, an actuating handle, a second link having one end pivotally attached to one end of the handle, said point of pivotal connection between the handle and the second link being slidable in the slots in the frame in a direction longitudinally of the second link, the second end of the second link being pivotally secured to the movable jaw, a third link pivoted at one end to the actuating handle at a point between the sliding pivot and the free end of the handle, and the other end of said link being pivotally attached to the frame. 10. In a tool of the character described, a fixed frame having a stationary jaw, a movable handle, a movable jaw, a pair of links pivoted at one end to the frame, the opposite ends of the links being pivotally attached at spaced points to the movable jaw, a pin-and-slot connection between one end of one of the links and the frame whereby said link is both pivotally and longitudinally movable in respect to the frame, said pin constituting a pivotal connection for one end of the movable handle, and a link connecting the movable handle to the fixed frame.

11. In a tool of the character described, a frame including a fixed jaw, a movable law, a, pair of links, each link being pivoted at one of its ends to a pivot pin secured in the frame, a handle pivoted at one of its ends to the pivot at one end of one of the links and which attaches said link to the frame, the last-mentioned pivot being slidable in the frame said links having their ends remote from the pivots pivotally attached to the movable jaw, and a third link pivoted at one end to the handle and at its other end to the frame.

12. In a tool of the character described in claim 11, wherein the first two links are arranged in non-parallel relation, and the pivot which connects the third link to the handle is located at a distance from the point of attachment of the handle to the frame.

13. In a device of the character described, a frame including a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, a pair of links, each link being pivoted on a pivot pin at one of its ends to the frame, one of the links having its pivot to the frame slidable in the frame, said links being pivoted on pivot pins at their opposite ends to the movable jaw, the distance between the pivots for one of said links being greater than the distance between the pivots for the second link, a handle pivotally connected to the link at the slidable pivot, and a link pivotally coupling the handle to the frame.

FRANCIS A. SNELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 507,587 Lippitt Oct. 31, 1893 763,227 Walden June 21, 1904 1,086,078 Palmer Feb. 3, 1914 1,157,540 Humphris Oct. 19, 1915 1,280,405 Collison et al Oct. 1, 1918 1,710,929 Kelleway Apr. 30, 1929 2,112,193 Geddes Mar. 22, 1938 2,142,696 Minor Jan. 3, 1939 2,388,580 Snell Nov. 6, 1945 

